Apparatus for walking on water



Nov. 20-, 1923.

, A. N. SHELDQN APPARATUS FOR WALKENG 0N WATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Van/w L67 50 25 /2 0 I I v Nov. 20, 1923. 1,415,031

' A N; SHELDON APPARATUS FOR WALKING 0N WATER Filed June 14. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Z'r'z vex? r ALB/597 Al. 612- 200 A farm 5 5 Patented Nov. 28, 123,

sirar than ALBERT t. snnnncn, on vnnr'onn, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOB. TALKING ON WATER.

Application filed lrune 14:, 192535 Serial No. 568,176.

To aZZ' whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, ALBERT N. SHELDON, a, citizen ofthe United tates, residing at Venture, in the county of Ventura and State of California,have invented new and use ful Apparatus for Walking on Water, of which the following is specification ,This invention relates to an apparatus that will enable person to walk on water, 1

being'an improvement over the disclosure in my former Patent July 12, 1921. r r

An object of the invention is to produce a more substantial construction than disclosed in said patent.

Another object is to minimize friction between the frame; and the guides Another object is to improve the mechanism whereby the. frame is advanced by the advancing float.

Another object is to provide a construc tion for gradually absorbing the momentum of the advancing floatby the frame so'as to obtaima glide after the strideis completed.

Another object is to providea rudder con struction that will insure against fouling of the rudder by obstructions in the water.

Another object is to provide a novel steerv ing device. I

Another object is to minimize side drift when it is desired to drive the apparatus by the power of the wind.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention: y I 1 Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the provisions of this invention, solid lines indicating the parts in the mid-stride position, and broken linesindicatingpne of the floats, frame, etc., in the positions they occupy at the end of a stride. Y L

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of Figured, partly in section. v p

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line indicated by 33, Figure 2, the upper portion of the steering column and the steering handlebeing broken away .to contract the View. s

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line indicated by 49- 1, Figure2.

Fig. 5 isa sectional elevation on theline indicated by 5-5, Figure 4. I Y

i Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmental elevation, partly in section, from the line indicated by 6-6, Figure 1.

No. 1,384,35a, granted members 18.

is an enlarged fragmental elevation, partly in SQCtIOIL of the right portion of Figure 1, the rudder being shown in lowered 7 position in full lines and in elevated positio in broken lines.

Fig. 8, is a frag-mental elevation, partly 1n section, from the line indicated by 88, Figure 1. 7 i p There is provided a suitable frame indicated in general by the character 10 and constructed, in this instance, of longitudinally extending outer members 11, "longi tudinally extending lower innermembers 12 and longitudinally extending upper inner The members 11 converge at their ends and are there connected with the members 12. The members 13 have downwardly bent portions 1 1 at their front ends connected to each other by a cross member 15. The rear ends of the members 11 are connected by a cross member 16 and the rear ends of the members 13 are connected by a cross member. 17 At intervals the members 11, 12 and 13 are connected by transversely extending trusses 18. Preferably the frame 10 f is principally constructed of seamless steel tubing with the different members welded to one another.

Positioned beneath the frame is a pair of spaced floats 19 extending parallel with one another and decked over, the decks being indicated at 20. The decks 20 are provided with openings 21 through which the operator passes his feet which he places on slats 22 extending longitudinally in the bottom of the floats. In the instance shown in the drawings the floats 19 are divided into a number of water tightcompartments 23, 24

vso as to insure buoyancy and any water that may accidentally enter the openings 21 will not be able to penetrate into any of said water tight compartments and swamp the apparatus. i

The members 11, 12 serve as guides and are engaged by bearings 25 eachof which is constructed as follows: A suitable standard 26 is fastened by screws 27 to the deck of the float and it supports four pins 28. On the pins 28 are journaled grooved rollers 29, the pins 28 being positioned to bring the peripheries of the rollers in radial relation to the guides which they engage. The

rollers, transversely thereof, is slightly greater than the radius of curvature of the radius of curvature of the peripheries of the' i guides so as to prevent any tendency to binding between the rollers and the guides. In this particular instance 81X Pivoted at 30 at its center to atransverse member 31, su ported by the members 12, is a lever 32 and pivoted to the outer ends of said lever at 33 are links 34. The rear ends of the links 34 arepivoted at 35 to the decks, respectively, of the floats, preferably along the longitudinal axes of said floats, though such position is not essential. It will now be seen that advancing of either of the floats will swing the lever 32 about one of the pivots 33 acting as a fulcrum, said fulcrum shifting, however, so as to permit the pivot 30 to advance in a straight path. Since the pivot 30 is midway of the distance between the pivots 33, the frame will be advanced just half of the distance traversed by the float.

Fixed to the cross members 16, 17 is a vertical bearing 36 for-a rudder post 87. The lower end of the rudder-post 3'? is provided with an angular arm 38 carrying .a horizon tal pivot 39 which passes through forwardly extending arms 40 of a rudder 41 Thus the rudder 41 is hinged to swing in a vertical path, and the forward end of the rudder is rounded downwa.r :llyand rearwardly-as indicated at 42. If any debris strike the rounded end 42 of the rudder, when the apparatus is moving forward, the rudder will be swung upwardly until it passes over said debris. connected at its ends to the rudder and passes beneath the horizontal leg of the arm 38 to form a stop 44 adapted to contactwith the arm 38 to limit downward swinging of the rudder. To the opposite sides of the arm 48 are secured cables 45 which are crossed and extend forwardly and are secured to the opposite ends of arms 46 projecting from opposite sides of a' steer ing shaft 47 having a steering handle 48 at its upper end. The shaft 47 is journ-aled in a steering column 49 connected by cross members 50 to the frame members 12, 13. Turning of the handle 48 in either direction effects steering 'of the apparatus in that direction.

Pivoted horizontally at 51 to the bottom of each floatare paddles or fins 52. Each fin is provided with forwardly extending flanges 53 adapted to engage the bottom of the float when the fin is almost vertical with respect to said bottom, so as to hold the fin bearings 25 are provided, one on each of the floats near A. triangular steering arm 43 is against collapsing forwardly and permit the fin to collapse rearwardly. The operation of these fins is well understood in this art.

Pivotally connected at 54 to the frame members 12 is a centerboard 55 rounded downwardly and rearwardly at its forward end as indicated at 56. Secured at the rear upper corner of the center-board 55 is aoable 57 whichis fastened at its upper end to the frame. The cable 57 is of a length to permit the center-board to lower into the position shown in Figure 6. The cable 57 is provided with a hook 58 which may be engaged with the frame when the center-board is drawn up, so as to support said centerboard in the raised position when it is not desired to use it.

There is provided a yielding stop between the frame and each of the floats constructed as follows: Each float is provided along its median line with a rod 59 and surrounding the rear portions of the rods are coil springs 60. Projecting downwardly from the fore most truss 18 are stops 61, through which the rods 59 can slide and against which the springs 60 strike when the floats are shoved forwardly with respect to the frame.

The invention operates as follows: The pedestrian standing with one foot in one of floats and th other foot resting in the other float will progress on the water by shifting of hisweight largely on one foot and shoving his other foot forwardly so as to advance the float attached to the latter foot. The fins of the forwardly moving float will collapse rearwardly to permit said float to move freely, and the fins of the float supporting the weight of the pedestrian will hold the second float against any substantial rearward motion. The moving float, through the lever and links 32, 34, pushes the fram forwardly. When said float has advanced sufficiently to engage the associated spring 60 with the stop 61, the inertia of the moving float will be to some degree absorbed by the frame and the inertia of the frame by the other float so that at each stride the force that the pedestrian has exerted in advancing one of the floats will carry over into a glide of the whole apparatus over the water. Thus if the interval of time between successive'strides is greater the power will be expended in producing a longer glide than if said interval is less- The center-board 55 need not be employed but is of advantage in overcoming waddling or zig-zag motion through the water,

or leeway if it is desired to set a sail. The details of construction of a mast and sail are well understood and constitute no part of this present invention and are therefore not illustrated and described herein.

Stirrups 62 are preferably provided on the slats 22 to engage the feet or shoes of the pedestrian, though such sti'rrups are not absolutely necessary to the operation of the apparatus.

It will be clear that, as the floats are shoved forwardly relative to the frame, the frame and the bearings will prevent separation of the frame and floats with the production of very little friction. The frame and float, by the bearings described, will be held against relative movement in a. vertical direction and also laterally.

An important advantage of the springs and stop 61 is that the motion of the forwardly moving float is gradually absorbed by the other float so as to start said other float forwardly without muscular effort of the operator. V

The construction of the frameand bearings described makes it possible to carry considerable luggage and a plurality of operators without the production of undue friction between the frame and bearings.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for walking on water, a frame, parallel floats beneath the frame, means shiftably supporting the frame on the floats, a lever pivoted near its middle to the frame, and links pivoted to theends of the lever and to the floats respectively.

2. In an apparatus for Walking on water, a frame, spaced parallel floats beneath the frame, means shiftably supporting the frame on the floats, means operable by forward motion of either of the floats to advance the frame with respect to the other either of the floats to advance the frame with respect to the other float, a rudder postjournaled on the frame, an arm fixed to the lower end of the rudder post and carrying a horizontal pivot, 21 rudder connected with the 4. In an apparatus for walking on water,

a frame, parallel floats beneath the frame, means shiftably supporting the frame on the floats, means operable by forward motion of either of the floats to advance the frame with respect to the other float, a rudder post journaled on the frame, a rudder connected with the rudder post, a column mounted on the frame, a shaft journaled in the column, a steering handle on the upper end of the shaft, a bar on the lower end of the shaft, and means operably connecting the bar with the rudder. it

5. In an apparatus for walking on water,

a frame having longitudinal members form-,

ing guides, parallel floats beneath the frame, means operable by forward motion of either of the floats to advance the frame with respect to the other float, the guides being tubular, standards mounted on the'floats, and rollers rotatably mounted on the standards with their'peripheries radially 0f the guides.

6. In a apparatus for walking on water, a frame having longitudinal outer members and longitudinal upper and lower inner members and having trusses connecting said members at intervals, parallel floats beneath the frame, means shiftably supporting the frame on the floats, and means operable by forward motion of either of the floats to advance the frame with respect to the other '7. In an apparatus for walkingon water, a frame, parallel floats beneath the frame, means shiftably supporting the frame on the floats, means operable by forward inotion of either of the floats to advance the ALBERT N. SHE LDON. 

